


Fear as a Manipulator

by sumerianempire



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Everyone needs a hug sometimes, Gen, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Padmé Amidala Needs a Hug, Prompt Fic, There's still good in him Obi-wan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-21 18:15:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30025872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sumerianempire/pseuds/sumerianempire
Summary: Prompt:“What caused you to become like this?” Obi-wan asks."Fear, because fear is a great motivator and manipulator for those who know how to use it.”Obi-wan goes to visit Padme during that scene towards the end of ROTS, but it doesn't quite turn out the same as we remember from the movies.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Fear as a Manipulator

Prompt:

“What caused you to become like this?” Obi-wan asks.

"Fear, because fear is a great motivator and manipulator for those who know how to use it.”

* * *

Obi-wan turned towards his ship, thoughts whirling as he pondered how he was going to find Anakin. He cursed the Council for sending him after Anakin but knew there was no one else, there was no one left.

Sorrow was a crushing presence in his mind, sorrow for the clones, for the younglings, for his fellow Jedi, for the Force itself as it screamed. It hadn’t stopped screaming in so long. But now, it was almost as though it was screaming extra loud. Worried, Obi-wan turned back, only to find himself barely a foot from the end of a blaster. It pointed unwaveringly at his face.

“This isn’t you.” Obi-wan tried to reason, hands raising to show himself unarmed and not going for his lightsaber.

“You brought this change on yourself.” The words came biting and sharp, sinking teeth into his heart. So much sorrow, Obi-wan wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle any more added to that which he already carried, his burden already too much. He carried more than his share of the sorrow from his affinity to the Force, but that didn’t mean he could handle it.

“What caused you to become like this?” Obi-wan’s voice was neutral to the untrained ear but both parties present could hear the tell-tale flicker of worry in his voice. His eyes never left hers and the two stood, as though facing off.

To Padme’s credit, the pistol never wavered; the arm supporting it was strong. Obi-wan had to give her credit, for, his views of blasters aside, she had managed to spring this one on him. He had not expected it from a friend.

"Fear, because fear is a great motivator and manipulator, for those who know how to use it.”

“Padme.” Obi-wan’s voice broke, finally betraying him.

“You are going to him, you’re going to kill him. I can’t let you.”

“Padme, he killed younglings; he—”

“He’s Anakin.” Padme interrupted, almost not hearing Obi-wan.

“—fell Padme, he turned to the Dark Side.”

“No. You come here asking for help, knowing full well you are asking me to sign his death warrant.”

“Padme, he isn’t the person we know anymore.”

“I don’t care that Palpatine is the Sith Lord, I don’t care that this war has been a sham. I don’t care about anything you just told me before walking off to fly away in your speeder. None of that matters to me right now. What I care about is you showing up here to ask for your lost friend so you can kill him.” Tears shone in her eyes, but there was also a fire there, and the blaster pointed at Obi-wan’s face continued to stay strong. “I considered you a friend, Master Kenobi.”

Obi-wan faltered a step backwards, as his legs partially gave out beneath him. Swallowing, he tried to recover the best he could.

The blow to his heart from Padme’s use of his title stung something fierce, and for all his worth as a negotiator through the war, none of the people he had gone up against had attacked him as personally as Padme’s words just had. Seeing as she hadn’t fired yet, he took another step back, sinking down onto the chair behind him, a hand coming up to his mouth, thinking.

“Anakin is the father, isn’t he?”

Padme’s hand faltered for the first time, the blaster sinking slightly, her watery eyes finally leaking some down her face. But she was every bit as fierce as the Naboo queen he met all those years ago, ready and willing to stand up for her people. Ready and willing to fight for those she cared about, defend them with no attention to cost or risk to herself.

Padme was hurting, and Obi-wan realized that this time he was the one not to bring comfort but that had brought pain across her threshold. As much as her words hurt him, she was merely returning the favor. He had done it first.

“I’m so sorry.” Obi-wan was sincere in his words, but what he was apologizing for was up for interpretation for both parties. “Padme, I don’t want to kill Anakin. The Council says he is a threat to be eliminated, but I want to talk to him. He is my brother, Padme.”

“There’s still good in him, Obi-wan.” Her voice was soft. A sob finally broke through, wracking her body with a spasm. The blaster clattered to the floor as Padme’s hands curled up into her chest, her mouth gaping open with the un-suppressed sorrow racing through her body. Kneeling down, Padme came just short of sitting on the ground as she tried to control the sorrow in her body.

Obi-wan was quick to kick the blaster away from the both of them before kneeling beside her. Unsure, he slowly reached out arms, as though to hug her, to hold her. But he didn’t make contact, unsure if he would be helping or hindering her recovery.

But Padme leaned forward, seeking comfort in her head resting against his shoulder, and Obi-wan let his arms fall down around her, holding her tightly, allowing the sorrow in both of them to flow out into the Force as Padme continued to sob in his arms.

“I know Padme; I believe it too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! thank you for reading. This is my first venture into AO3 and my long awaited return to fanfiction in general after a many year hiatus. I am looking forward to using this to help grow my writing and I appreciate you all taking the time to read this shortfic! Have a great day! ~ Sumerian
> 
> Also thank you to Pandora151 for beta reading it! I appreciate your help!


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